Tennis Europe News - Issue 107

tenniseuropenews Issue 107 > December 2012

Next Generation Report Published The second edition of the Next Generation Report has been published by SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC, in collaboration with Tennis Europe.

First carried out in 2008, the study is devised to provide an insight into the tastes, influences and opinions of Europe’s top junior players. The first edition of the report proved to be an invaluable tool for manufacturers and the wider tennis industry and encompassed topics as diverse as their motives and ambitions in playing the sport to the roles of coaches, national federations, sponsors and professional players, as well consumer behaviour.

Four years on, the latest study has been conducted under considerably different market circumstances, and follows a period which has seen huge advances in fields such as mobile communications, smart phones and social media, areas in which junior players are early adopters and heavy users. Over 1,700 players aged between 12 and 18 years of age took part in the survey.

These players are of great interest to brands and manufacturers of tennis equipment; not only is the use of a brand’s equipment a valuable marketing

Inside this issue Tennis Xpress Launched. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Tennis Xpress in Denmark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 European Senior Championships Dates. . . . . . .4 Turkey invests in Professional Events. . . . . . . . . . 5 Tennis for the Visually Impaired. . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Tennis Europe Winter Cups by HEAD 12&U Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 In the Spotlight: Petros Chrysochos. . . . . . . . .9 Tennis Europe Junior Tour Rankings. . . . . . . . . 13 European Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 HEADlines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

endorsement from the most influential adult stars of the future, but popularity of particular brands or equipment types within this group can indicate wider trends among young tennis players of all levels. At a more general level, the report provides an excellent tool for existing and prospective sponsors to get know this important demographic on a deeper level.

Tennis Europe has facilitated this unique research by making a one-off contact with players registered to play on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour. Several incentives were offered to participants, and the six lucky prize winners will be contacted later this week.

Tennis Europe’s Chief Executive Officer Olli Mäenpää commented, “Knowing the opinions of the next generation of players, their barriers and motivations for playing tennis, and the reasons for their choices of equipment are very important tools for the sport to continue to develop.”

The research brings to a close a busy year of cooperation between Tennis Europe and SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC, the Official Research Partner of the organisation. Earlier in the year, the second edition of the European Tennis Report was published by Tennis Europe, a result of six months of research and data collection which produced current figures and three-year trends relating to players, clubs, courts, coaches and international tournaments from all of the European federation’s 49 member nations.

For further information, or to purchase the European Tennis Report or Next Generation Report, contact Gabriela Köb or Andy Russell respectively.

tenniseuropenews

Tennis Xpress launched at Play and Stay Seminar Delegates from 50 of the International Tennis Federation’s member nations were joined by representatives from Tennis Europe and other regional associations, the ATP and WTA Tours, and the wider tennis industry in London from 27-30th November for the third edition of the ITF’s Play and Stay Seminar.

The meeting saw almost 40 speakers take to the stand to present on topics ranging from Tennis 10s and tennis for teenagers and people with disabilities, to Cardio Tennis, good club practices and how harnessing social media can help to raise participation in sport.

Launched in 2007, Play and Stay is a global initiative intended to raise levels of tennis participation and to promote the sport as an easy, fun and healthy sporting activity.

One of the main focal points of the latest seminar was the official launch of the Tennis Xpress program.

The challenge of attracting new adult players to tennis is one that has occupied governing bodies for some time. Independent studies carried out by leading European federations, including those of France, Great Britain and the Netherlands found common results when researching what novice adult players would want from tennis; that the activity should be fun, a way of meeting people, have positive consequences for health and fitness, and that the new players should feel welcome and not ostracized by their level of tennis.

In response to these universal findings, Tennis Xpress has been designed to attract adult players to the game. Mindful of the Play and Stay philosophy that tennis should be enjoyable from the first time a player steps on to court, Tennis Xpress is a 9-hour course to be conducted at clubs and tennis centres

over a six week period.

The objective is to give a fast, fun and dynamic introduction to the sport, whilst also providing enough learning and practice time in each class for players to achieve successful goals during the course.

A key component of the course is that the beginner players use depressurised red (50% slower) and green (25% slower) balls in order to accelerate the process of learning the basic rules, techniques and tactics of the sport. These skills should be ecident by the end of the course, at which point players should be able to play competitive points using the green or yellow ball on a full court.

During the sessions games and drills are incorporated to ensure that players can serve, rally and score from the very first lesson, and a key task for the coaches delivering the course is to provide follow-up opportunities for new players, informing them where and how they can continue to play and train following the conclusion of the course.

Another advantage of the Tennis Xpress course is that it combines neatly with Tennis 10s, the ITF 10 & Under program, enabling parents and children to play together.

Pilot projects have been carried out in a number of nations worldwide (see the article on Denmark’s successful experiences on the following page) with many more expected to implement the Tennis Xpress program during the coming year. For more information, visit www.tennisplayandstay.com.

Delegates at the Play and Stay Seminar in London. Photo: Tommy Hindley/ Professional Sport

2

Issue 107 > December 2012

tenniseuropenews

Tennis Xpress in Denmark One of the key case studies that led the International Tennis Federation to adopt the Tennis Xpress program came from Denmark, where 50 of the worlds’ 71 pilot courses were held during 2011.

The Danish Tennis Association reports that it lost around 60,000 members during the period from 1992 to 2009, representing some 50% of its membership.

An extensive study carried out by the organisation showed that a particular challenge was in the recruitment and retention of adult players (aged 20-55), many of whom cited the demands of work lives, families and other leisure activities as barriers to taking up, or continuing with, tennis.

This consultation also confirmed that adults would be more likely to try or to return to the sport if it were easier or more accessible, prompting the federation to pioneer the Tennis Xpress project.

As the initiative began to take shape, several distinct phases were identified. As a first step, the association approached clubs with an attractive offer; a commitment to pay €30 per person that completed the course. Simultaneously, a national advertising campaign swung into action to recruit clubs to the campaign. Tennis Xpress ambassadors were also appointed at the participating clubs. By giving responsibility to proactive people from clubs that wanted to make a difference to participation, a special link was created between the association and the club representative, who was given a gift pack, a contact hotline, and other personalised incentives including a special Tennis Xpress event where ambassadors were able to share experiences and best practices.

The next step saw the association face the challenge of preparing the clubs to manage the Tennis Xpress courses. This was achieved through both the provision of material goods (Tennis Xpress kits for those who needed it), and the re-education of coaches, emphasizing the importance and potential of recruitment and retention of club members.

As a third phase, the association had to monitor the many projects now in operation, providing support to those clubs implementing the program, and evaluating individual projects that were drawing to a conclusion.

With most of this happening during the busy summer period, some clubs were organising more than one Tennis Xpress course per week, and with coaches busy teaching tennis it was important to remind clubs of the importance of having special offers available in order to attract and retain the new players once they had graduated from the Tennis Xpress course.

3

Issue 107 > December 2012

Above: the Spiltennis.nu site provides detailed information about where to play tennis in Denmark, including special offers from clubs.

The communications team was busy in parallel with supporting initiatives aimed at getting the Tennis Xpress message across to as many people as possible. A dedicated website (spiltennis.nu) was created, giving newcomers access to offers at their local clubs in order to help them find the most suitable courses.

Facebook also played a key role, as well as a national radio campaign and the National Tennis Day all helped to increase the visibility of the sport and to familiarise people with the Tennis Xpress message.

The success of the 2012 National Tennis Day, during which 117 clubs opened their gates to anybody who was interested in playing tennis, had led to even more ambitious plans for next year, when the federation hopes to have 200 clubs participating. The Danish Tennis Association created all of the marketing for the event, ensuring national coverage.

2011’s pilot scheme saw approximately 650 new members sign up to Danish clubs following their participation in Tennis Xpress courses. Figures are not yet available for 2012, but with 103 clubs participating, the federation hopes to achieve a target of 1,100 new members (which would be an increase of 2% of the national total).

The Danish Tennis Association has concluded that Tennis Xpress has proven to be an unparalleled basis for clubs to recruit and retain adult players. Speaking at the ITF Play and Stay Seminar, their Chief Executive Officer Sune Alenkaer said, “We have seen for ourselves that Tennis Xpress works and are looking forward to even better results in the coming years. For any other federations looking to launch their own programs, we have created a fact sheet based on our experiences and are happy to share our advice.”

tenniseuropenews

European Senior Championships Tennis Europe has announced that the second edition of the European Seniors Championships will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, during the week of 27 April – 3 May 2013.

In response to popular demand, the event has been moved from the originally-planned date in early-July in order to avoid clashes with national individual and club championships in several European countries, some of which are also part of the ITF Senior Circuit, and are due to take place during this busy period.

Tennis Europe hopes that this move will encourage greater participation in future editions of Europe’s flagship senior tennis event. The tournament has

once again been granted B1 status by the ITF, making it the most prestigious in Europe in terms of points available.

The event will again cater for all age categories, from Over 35s to Over 85s, including a ladies’ 85s category, which will be eligible for the new 85 and Over rankings, due to be introduced for ladies in 2013.

The tournament will be hosted for a second time by the Bulgarian Tennis Federation and will take place at the organisation’s National Training Centre and the Dema Club.

Icelandic player training camp in Norway ITF and Tennis Europe in cooperation with the Norwegian Tennis Association initiated a training camp for the Icelandic Tennis Association (ITA) 13 and under team at the headquarters of the Norwegian Tennis Federation in Oslo Tennis Arena.

The Icelandic players in the trip were five girls and one boy all 13 and under: Anna Soffía Grönholm, Sofia Sóley Jónasdóttir, Sigurjón Ágústsson, Hekla Maria Olivier, Melkorka Pálsdóttir, Sara Lind Þorkelsdóttir.

Along with them was their coach Jón Axel Jónsson and Jónas Páll Björnsson, the General Secretary of the Icelandic Association. Oivind Sörvald Sports Chief and Aslak Paulsen, Player Development Officer, were responsible for the program on behalf of the Norwegian Tennis Federation.

The players got a lot of practice with the Norwegian players and were delighted to get the opportunity to play and train against new players. Aslak and Oivind were also on the court with the team, where Oivind took the opportunity to conduct video analysis of all the players.

To finish off their trip, all of the visiting players took part in tournaments in Stabekk and at the Oslo Tennis Arena where they got to play a number of matches against Norwegian players, giving them important competitive match experience.

The Icelandic kids, Jón Axel and Jónas all agreed that all the coaching and the trip as a whole was both highly enjoyable as well as instructive, and that the video analysis had given them a new perspective on their games.

ITF/Tennis Europe Development Officer Hrvoje Zmajic said, “This is a great example of a bilateral

4

Issue 107 > December 2012

cooperation between two federations. Herewith, I would like to express special thanks to the Norwegian Federation for organising this training and competition for the promising Icelandic players.

Due to their geographical position, players from Iceland can feel quite isolated from the rest of Europe and can greatly benefit from the opportunity to travel in a group and test themselves against new opposition. We hope that the two federations will extend their cooperation in the future. ”

tenniseuropenews

Turkish Tennis Federation invests in professional tennis events In terms of hosting international events, Italy and Spain have traditionally led the way in Europe, blessed by a Mediterranean climate that allows tournaments to be held outdoors throughout the entire year. Over the last few years another nation has snatched their lead, offering more playing opportunities than ever before, and investing in tournaments as part of a long term plan to grow the sport.

In just four years, Turkey has gone from being ranked 15th in Europe in terms of the number of international events it stages, to first. This The stars of this year’s WTA Tour Championships in Istanbul. great leap forward is part of a concerted effort from the Turkish Tennis Federation to There are benefits for players from other countries raise the standing of the sport, as President Ayda too; the Turkish events are mainly organised at some Uluç explained at the recent Top Executives of the major coastal holiday resorts which have Meeting. “We want Turkey to become an established extraordinary facilities and are able to offer extremetennis country, so this is the first step of a long-term ly attractive prices to competitors, often as low as plan to develop high performance players and estab€40 per night for all-inclusive stays. Several events lish ourselves internationally as a nation that is synplayed in succession at the same venue allow them onymous with the sport,” she said. to save on travel costs and permits them to spend It’s not just the quantity of events that has increased, but also the range of professional tournaments on offer. By the end of the 2012 season, Turkey will have hosted a total of 104 weeks of ITF Pro Circuit events (51 for men and 53 for women), plus 3 ATP Challenger tournaments and the season-ending WTA Tour Championships, which has seen incredible success during its tenure in Istanbul.

Clearly the core of this activity is the ITF Pro Circuit, with over $1 million in prize money (more than 10% of all prize money paid out on the entire European circuit) on offer during 2012. With the TTF providing some $2,000 per event to the organisers to help with logistical expenses, the scheme is costly, but the federation reports that the benefits vastly outweigh the costs, especially in terms of how the tournaments positively affect Turkish players.

Aside from the obvious benefits of the opportunity to play in many events close to home and obtain a professional ranking without having to travel extensively, players also have the chance to practice with high quality opposition in a tournament environment, learn to better understand the mentality of touring pros, and also see first-hand that turning pro is a possible alternative to further education and scholarships.

5

Issue 107 > December 2012

more time preparing for each event.

As the organising culture takes hold, events are also increasingly held at clubs, which it is hoped will popularize the sport even further. However, simply increasing the availability of playing opportunities is just one facet of the federation’s drive to make Turkey a tennis country. Much work is still to be done, and the Federation has enlisted the help of renowned coach Luis Bruguera, father of twice Roland Garros champion Sergi and founder of the Bruguera Tennis Academy, to head their technical team.

The flagship professional event in Turkey since 2011 has been the WTA Championships in Istanbul. There is no better illustration of how the sport has taken hold of the public imagination than to cite the attendance figures; with over 80,000 people in attendance during the week, the championships have been the best-attended in the history of the event, with an atmosphere that has been unanimously praised by the players.

A long-term goal for Turkey is its attempt to host the 2020 Olympic Games, a bid that will surely be boosted by the enthusiastic response to the country’s hosting of the WTA Championships and its new position as European leader in terms of the number of international tennis events.

tenniseuropenews

Tennis for visually impaired people One of the highlights of the recent Play and Stay Seminar in London was an on-court demonstration of tennis for visually impaired people. For many of the delegates, who had travelled from over 50 countries, it was the first time that they had witnessed the game being played in this way. In fact, with the involvement of the Tennis Foundation, tennis for visually impaired people is growing rapidly in Great Britain, with increasing numbers of clubs and facilities offering the sport spread across the country.

First developed in Japan over 20 years ago, specially modified audible balls are used which allow players with any level of visual impairment to identify their location. Other than a rule permitting extra bounces (up to two bounces for visually-impaired players and three for those who are totally blind) and obliging the server to say when they will commence the point, all of the rules are just as they are for regular tennis.

We had a chat with the two players in action, Min Ainsworth and Ramona Williams, to find out what attracted them to the sport: How did you find out about tennis for visually impaired?

Min: It’s still quite new in the UK. It was first brought over by the Japanese in 2004 and has been spreading steadily. I found about it through a friend.

Ramona: I found out fairly recently, also through a friend. I have only been playing since January but when I was growing up I tried to play tennis in the way that a sighted person would play. This is much better because it has been adapted to our needs.

There are many obvious challenges for a visually impaired person that wants to play the game. Is it a daunting prospect to get started?

Min: No not really. Like in sighted tennis, there is a lot of repetition involved. We start with one-on-one sessions with a coach and have to get used to the dimensions of the court and the behaviour of the ball.

Ramona: You start with some basic exercises, like rolling the ball along the floor, and the person has to hit it with the racquet. With time you come to understand where the ball is, and how long it will take before you can hit it. As you develop you get more confident, and then you can really start incorporating movement and working on technique, but you have to take it in stages. It depends very much on good coaching because it needs to be accessible for people to encourage them to keep coming back.

Min: People have to enjoy that first session; if they don’t, you’ve lost them.

Tell us about your training sessions Ramona: We play weekly, on a Friday…

6

Issue 107 > December 2012

Visually impaired players in action in Roehampton.

Min: …and we switch between the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton and Islington Tennis Centre.

Sometimes we have had up to 20 people taking part, so we have to take turns. I almost preferred it when it wasn’t so popular [laughs]. It gets busier when we get close to tournaments.

Is there an established tournament calendar?

Ramona: Yes, in fact we’ve played a couple of tournaments this year already; there was a big one in Sunderland and also the Metro Blind Sport event, here in October.

Min: it’s great to compete against other people from around the country and to find out what we have to do to improve.

What are your goals in tennis?

Min: We just want to keep playing and improving.

Ramona: I’m still new to the sport, so I want to keep working and to do better in tournaments. Ultimately, we’d all like the sport to be included at the Paralympics.

Dan Absolon, Disability Development Manager at the Tennis Foundation, a charity that works closely with the Lawn Tennis Association said, “Tennis is a sport that is easy to adapt in order to include people with a variety of impairments and people of varied abilities.

People with a visual impairment or who are totally blind are no different. Using adapted equipment and by varying the court size and number of bounces a player is allowed tennis is both possible and fun for visually impaired and blind players. We have seen a huge increase in the number of players participating in this form of the game recently and the Tennis Foundation will continue to support this growth across the country.”

To see a video of visually-impaired tennis players in action, click here.

tenniseuropenews

COMING J A N U A R Y 11T H 2 013

Be the first to test Novak Djokovic’s new secret weapon! head.com/g facebook.com/headtennis

7

Issue 107 > December 2012

tenniseuropenews

Tennis Europe Winter Cups by HEAD 12 & Under Preview The 2013 edition of Europe’s biggest indoor junior tennis competition, the Tennis Europe Winter Cups by HEAD, is now just six weeks away.

Following last year’s successful introduction of a 12 & Under category, the event will once again be held over four weekends, with the youngest players opening the action during the weekend of 25-27 January, when the qualifying rounds will be held.

For a second consecutive year, a total of 55 national teams have entered the 12 & Under event.

Qualifying rounds will once again be held in Austria, Czech Republic, Romania, Russia and Turkey, while Estonia will also host the competition for the first time. As last year, the boys finals will take place in Roznov pod Radhostem (CZE), while the girls travel to Sheffield (GBR) during the weekend of 8-10 February.

Russian teams will be hoping to defend both of the 12 & under titles, having made the perfect start to the new event last year by beating Switzerland for the boys’ crown and Czech Republic for the girls’.

The 14 and 16 & Under categories retain their regular calendar slots, with the qualifying rounds taking place at eight European venues from 1-3 February,

Russian teams triumphed in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions at the inaugural 12 & Under Winter Cups earlier this year.

and the final rounds following two weeks later, from 15-17 February. A full preview of the 14 and 16 & Under events will feature in the next issue.

Meanwhile, you can find full entry lists on the dedicated tournament page. Qualifying group allocations, fact sheets and further information is also online.

Established in 1976, the Winter Cups are a highlight of the Tennis Europe Junior Tour, and have seen players such as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka represent their countries for the first time in team competitions.

Tennis Europe Winter Cups by HEAD Boys 12&U - Qualifying (25-27 January) Zone A

Hradek nad Nisou (CZE)

Belgium, Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Switzerland

Zone B

Tallinn (EST)

Austria, Estonia, Great Britain, Hungary, Slovenia, Ukraine

Zone C

Kazan (RUS)

Bulgaria, Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden

Zone D

Izmir (TUR)

Belarus, Croatia, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Turkey

Finals

Roznov pod Radhostem (CZE) 8-10 February

Tennis Europe Winter Cups by HEAD Girls 12&U - Qualifying (25-27 January)

8 5

Zone A

Neudorfl (AUT)

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Russia

Zone B

Rakovnik (CZE)

Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Serbia

Zone C

Onesti (ROU)

Belarus, Bulgaria, Latvia, Moldova, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine

Zone D

Izmir (TUR)

Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey

Finals

Sheffield (GBR)

8-10 February

Issue 107 > December 2012

tenniseuropenews

In the Spotlight: Petros Chrysochos Tennis Europe News caught up with the 16 & Under #1 player Petros Chrysochos of Cyprus following his appearance at the recent Tennis Europe Junior Masters and coronation as Player of the Year.

known player, do you feel pressure to be the ‘next Baghdatis’?

At home many people tell me,”Oh, you will be the next Baghdatis”, but no; I will be the next Petros. I want to be myself. Of course I would like to be like him; he’s a great player, a Top 30 player for a long time. It’s a challenge for him because he is alone – Spain has like 300 players, but Cyprus has only one.

I would like to achieve what he has achieved, but that’s not my goal; I want to do even better.

What has been the highlight of this season for you?

I think Montecatini in Italy was my favourite tournament. It was the second Category 1 event that I played. I played against the guy who beat me in this tournament in the final [Jaume Munar Clar of Spain]; I beat him on that occasion. It was a great tournament and it boosted my confidence for the rest of the year, so that’s why I have been playing so good.

Petros Chrysochos in action at the Junior Masters in October of this year.

Congratulations on being named Player of the Year.

What does it mean to you?

It means a lot, especially because last year I finished in second place as a 14 & Under. Also, it’s the first time that Cypriot has won the award. I’m very proud of my country, and also the work that I have done – and my parents, my coach…so it’s a great feeling.

You recently played at the Junior Masters. How do you feel about your performance there?

It was a new experience for me because it’s the first time I played at the Masters, so it was great. I felt good, my adrenaline was high. I played against some very good players from Spain and Ukraine. It was a tough draw. I didn’t win, but third place overall was still good for me. Generally it was a great experience.

I could have done better, but never mind...

Tell us about your training schedule when you’re at home.

Well, Cyprus is very small, not too many players come out of there. We are about 700,000 people and I train in Larnaca. We only have two or three very good players, so I can’t always train at the highest level very day. It’s more difficult for me because other players from bigger countries have better players to play against, so they get better every day.

I have my school as well, so in the mornings I cannot practice. I try to play as much as I can in the afternoon. My coach is supporting me, my family…and I try to do my best.

Coming from a small country with one very well-

9

Issue 107 > December 2012

What about your time on the ITF Touring Team?

It was my second time, I also took part last year, but this year was an amazing experience. Four tournaments, one month, and we had a four-day practice session before the tournaments. It was great because it’s very demanding. You play Category 1 tournaments every day, very difficult events. You have to be consistent all of the time. In some tournaments you may not have to face a really good opponent until the semi-finals, but at the Category 1s you can play very good players from the first round until the final.

Did you enjoy the team aspect?

Absolutely. The coaches, Goran [Shevchenko] and Irina [Chichmarova], understand so much. They were telling me things that I didn’t even know about tennis. There were ten of us players in total – 6 boys and 4 girls, and there was such a good team spirit.

You have to be together all the time, it was like a family. That was a great experience for me.

What are your plans for next year?

Well, at the beginning of the year I am hoping to go to the Australian Open, hopefully if I get a good ranking.

At the moment I’m around #170, so I hope to go towards the Top 100. There is another Cypriot player, Sergis Kyratzis. He is a great player so I hope that we can go to Australia together. Then I hope to go with the ITF team again, hopefully they will choose me. The tour is for one month in South America, Category 1 and 2 ITF events, so that would be great.

But next year no more Tennis Europe Junior Tour, it’s time for the next step!

tenniseuropenews

2012 - 2013 TENNI S

Valuable insights into the European tennis market ¨The encyclopedia for your tennis business¨

Statistics and Performance Details on 49 Tennis Federations • Federation contacts and facts • Statistical data with current situation and 3-year trends of: • Players (total/club members/licensed/recreational/junior/senior) • Clubs • Courts (indoor/outdoor) • Coaches • Tennis Federation publications & media • Professional player performance • Four-year statistics of International Tournaments (2008 - 2011) (junior/professional/seniors/wheelchair & beach tennis) • European Tennis Trophy Ranking, current and 2010

More Features • SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC. insight on European and USA tennis business and market trends • Tennis Europe’s A, B, C nations summarised • Quick reference quide for all statistical data

Conducted by Tennis Europe (by constitution European Tennis Federation) is the largest regional association of the sport’s governing body, the International Tennis Federation. As a non-profit organizing body of European tennis, based in Basel, Switzerland, Tennis Europe is comprised of 49 member nations and co-operates with constituent national federations to sanction, manage and support over 1,000 international tennis tournaments each year across the continent. Tennis Europe maintains excellent relations with the ATP and WTA Tours, European Union, and the wider tennis industry.

SPORTS MARKTING SURVEYS INC. is the 'Official Research Partner' of Tennis Europe. It is an experienced and focused sports research business servicing the sports facility, equipment & sports’ goods industry.

including 2 hard copies

390 € plus shipping costs Standard + e-Package including 2 hard copies and PDF version

450 € plus shipping costs Other tailor-made packages available Special offers for NPO

Order now Gabriela Köb gabrielak@tenniseurope.org 10 Issue 107 > December 2012

49 COUNTRIES

Standard Package ALBANIA ANDORRA ARMENIA AUSTRIA AZERBAIJAN BELARUS BELGIUM BOSNIA& HERZEGOVINA BULGARIA CROATIA CYPRUS CZECH REPUBLIC DENMARK ESTONIA FINLAND FRANCE

FYR MACEDONIA GEORGIA GERMANY GREAT BRITAIN GREECE HUNGARY ICELAND IRELAND ISRAEL ITALY LATVIA LIECHTENSTEIN LITHUANIA LUXEMBOURG MALTA MOLDOVA

MONACO MONTENEGRO NETHERLANDS NORWAY POLAND PORTUGAL ROMANIA RUSSIA SAN MARINO SERBIA SLOVAKIA SLOVENIA SPAIN SWEDEN SWITZERLAND TURKEY UKRAINE

tenniseuropenews

The African 14 & Under Masters… in Switzerland To participate in a continental Masters is a great experience in itself. But if the Masters takes place on another continent altogether, it is even more unique and will long be remembered by the 12 young African tennis talents who had qualified for the African 14 & Under Masters.

The event took place from 20 – 23 November at the Swiss Tennis National Tennis Center in Biel, Switzerland. The cross-continental collaboration was initiated by Swiss Tennis President René Stammbach and Hichem Riani, Director of the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) during the ITF Annual General Meeting in Copenhagen this summer and serves as an example of the type of international solidarity project between federations that Tennis Europe has been encouraging its member nations to undertake for many years.

Mr. Stammbach and Mr. Riani agreed that the national champions and finalists from Benin, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, Morocco, Mauritius and South Africa would travel to Switzerland, train for a few days at the Swiss Tennis Academy, play their Masters and then participate in a nearby local tournament in order to compete with Swiss talents their age as kind of a special training.

The intensive training certainly paid off for the young Africans: Zeineb El Houari (Marocco) and Calvin Jordaan (South Africa) not only claimed the titles as the African 14 & Under Champions but went also on to win the junior tournament in Switzerland, beating other players from their delegation in the finals.

Issem Essaïs, Head of Delegation at CAT, was more than pleased with the group’s success and the visit to Switzerland in general, saying; “Our week here at Swiss Tennis was amazing. We were warmly welcomed and they made the stay in Roger Federer’s home country for our players unforgettable – the academy and the organisation were impeccable, just like Switzerland itself.”

The players were equally delighted with their stay, even though they had one complaint: “It is very beautiful here, but also very cold!” Asked about their goals the answers of the African players did not vary much from the Swiss ones: to travel the world, develop their game and one day reach the Top 10 in the world. René Stammbach and Issem Essaïs agreed that “Swiss and African youngsters do not differ much when it comes to their sports attitude. More important than the country you are from is anyway the education and personality – and only if you work hard will you reach the top, regardless of whether you live in Africa or in Switzerland!”

11 Issue 107 > December 2012

Photos (from top): The African players arrive at Swiss Tennis, Girls’ winner Zeineb El Houari (MAR), Finalist Randy Randrianasoloson (MAD) and third placed Zani Barnard (RSA), Boys runner-up Mohamed Aboulkacem (EGY), winner Calvin Jordaan (RSA) and third placed Isaac Nortey (GHA).

tenniseuropenews

Beyond the Baseline...

The International Tennis Federation has named its Players of the Year for 2012. Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are recognised as ITF World Champions for the second and third time in their careers respectively. Bob & Mike Bryan are the Men’s Doubles World Champions for the ninth time in ten years, while Sara Errani & Roberta Vinci claim the Women’s Doubles World Champion title for the first time. The Junior World Champions are Flip Peliwo and Taylor Townsend, while Stephane Houdet and Esther Vergeer are the Wheelchair World Champions, with Vergeer taking the title for the thirteenth consecutive year.

Players from 21 different countries won ATP World Tour titles in 2012, compared to 23 on the WTA Tour.

Roger Federer is the new Brand ambassador for Moët & Chandon champagne.

Flavia Pennetta and Svetlana Kuznetsova have announced that they will play doubles together throughout 2013.

Taylor Townsend has become the first US girl in 30 years to end the year as the ITF Junior world #1.

David Grigson has been appointed as the Chairman of the Lawn Tennis Association Board.

Kim Clijsters officially hung up her racquet after a farewell exhibition event in Germany. In her final match she scored a 6-3 6-3 win over Venus Williams.

The ITF has announced that the Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre in London will host the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters from 2014-2016. Then known as Eton Manor, The site’s tennis facilities were specially built for the 2012 Paralympic event.

First round losers at the Australian Open will receive $27,000 AUD, a 30% increase on last year. Total prize money for the first Grand Slam of the season will reach $30 milliion.

Madison Keys and Rhyne Williams have won the USTA play-offs for wild cards to the Australian Open.

Organisers are reportedly considering introducing third set tiebreaks and eliminating bronze medal matches in order to reduce the workload for players at future editions of the Olympic Games.

Serena Williams is reportedly planning to play for the USA in the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas first round tie in Rimini (ITA) in February.

Nigel Willerton has taken over as the Director of Integrity at the Tennis Integrity Unit.

Bulgaria’s Grigor Dmitrov has joined the Good to Great Tennis Academy in Sweden, where he will be coached by former pros Magnus Norman, Niklas Kulti and Mikael Tillström.

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario has resigned from her post as Spain’s Fed Cup captain.

Teams for the Hopman Cup, which begins in Perth on 29th December are as follows - Group A; Bernard Tomic & Ashley Barty (AUS). Andreas Seppi & Francesca Schiavone (ITA), Tommy Haas & Andrea Petkovic (GER), Novak Djokovic & Ana Ivanovic (SRB), Group B; Fernando Verdasco & Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP), Kevin Anderson & Chanelle Scheepers (RSA), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga & Mathilde Johansson (FRA) and John Isner & Venus Williams (USA).

Argentinean players Juan Ignacio Chela and Gisela Dulko have both announced their retirments.

Organisers of the ATP World Tour event in Halle, Germany, have announced that Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Janko Tipsarevic, Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori and Philipp Kohlschreiber have already comitted to the 2013 tournament.

Roger Federer has won the Swiss Sportsman of the Year Award for a fifth time.

Former British #1 Elena comeback early next year off following foot surgery, two more years, having retirement.

Baltacha will launch a after having six months and expects to play for previously considered

‘Like’ Tennis Europe on Facebook!

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for all the latest news from the organisation and special features from the Tennis Europe Junior Tour, such as our gallery of famous former players when they were young.

12 Issue 107 > December 2012

tenniseuropenews

Tennis Europe Junior Tour Rankings - Overall Tennis Europe’s junior ranking system is devised to give a unified overall list that shows the relative strengths of all players, regardless of where they achieved their results or picked up points, A player’s overall total includes points from Tennis Europe Junior Tour 16 and 14 & Under events, plus points earned by players in these age categories who participate in ITF Junior Circuit and professional tournaments, all of which are weighted

according to their relative strengths.

The 14 & Under ranking is still available separately containing points earned exclusively at Tennis Europe Junior Tour events (see next page), as well as being integrated to these overall rankings.

For more information on the rankings system, visit www.TennisEurope.org.

Rankings below are as of December 18th, 2012.

Overall Girls’ Ranking Rank

Name

Nat.

Points

01

u

Taylor TOWNSEND

USA

2982

02

u

Katerina SINIAKOVA

CZE

2885

03

p

Ana KONJUH

CRO

2080

04

q

Elizaveta KULICHOVA

RUS

1875

05

q

Antonia LOTTNER

GER

1828

06

q

Iryna SHYMANOVICH

BLR

1810

07

u

Aliona BOLSOVA

MDA

1721

08

u

Francoise ABANDA

CAN

1695

09

u

Belinda BENCIC

SUI

1591

10

u

Donna VEKIC

CRO

1570

Ana Konjuh (CRO)

Overall Boys’ Ranking Rank

Name

Nat.

Points

2241

01

u

Gianluigi QUINZI

ITA

02

u

Elias YMER

SWE 1920

03

u

Filippo BALDI

ITA

1867

04

u

Petros CHRYSOCHOS

CYP

1528

05

u

Lucas MIEDLER

AUT 1362

06

NEW

Christian GARIN

CHI

1357

07

q

Noah RUBIN

USA

1354

08

q

Johan Sebastien TATLOT FRA 1350

09

q

Jaume MUNAR CLAR

ESP

10

q

Hyeon CHUNG

KOR 1278

13 Issue 107 > December 2012

1280 Christian Garin (CHI)

tenniseuropenews

Tennis Europe Junior Tour Rankings - 14 & Under There are no changes to the top of the rankings this month, as none of the leading players have been in action during this relatively quiet time on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour.

Further down the rankings, the 12 & Under Starter Points have been added recently, with some of the best -performing players from that age group already knocking on the door of the Top 100.

players born in 1998 are removed from the list as they become eligible for 16 & Under tournaments only.

The Race to the Junior Masters rankings are already being updated, with some less familiar names occupying the top spots at present, with just a few events having been held. You can follow the latest Race rankings here.

Rankings below are as of December 18th, 2012.

We can expect great changes next month, as the

14 & Under Girls Rank

Name

Nat.

Points

01

u

Olga FRIDMAN

UKR 1030

02

u

Dalma GALFI

HUN

980

03

u

Anna KALINSKAYA

RUS

835

04

p

Viktoria KUZMOVA

SVK

770

05

p

Aleksandra POSPELOVA

RUS

765

05

p

Anna BLINKOVA

RUS

765

06

p

Tereza MIHALIKOVA

SVK

750

08

q

Maia LUMSDEN

GBR

735

09

u

Andreea Amalia ROSCA ROU

728

10

u

Tamara KUPKOVA

670

SVK

#6 Tereza Mihailikova and #4 Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK)

14 & Under Boys Rank

Name

Nat.

Points

01

u

Mikael YEMER

SWE

850

02

u

Marko OSMAKCIC

SUI

805

03

u

Jay CLARKE

GBR

750

04

u

Eduard GUELL BARTRINA ESP

735

05

u

Mate VALKUSZ

HUN

725

06

u

Samuel SIPPEL

GER

715

07

u

Denys KLOK

UKR

675

08

u

Kenneth RAISMA

EST

620

08

u

Stefanos TSITSIPAS

GRE

620

10

u

Akos KOTORMAN

HUN

595

14 Issue 107 > December 2012

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)

tenniseuropenews

SMAR SMARTER RTER TRAINING TRAIN NIN G

WITH INTEGRA IINTEGRATED TEGRATE ED GPS

RC3 GPS

Integrated GPS Built-in GPS to track your speed, distance, and route in a slim, lightweight design

Training Benefit Motivating feedback straight after training

Web Training Diary Share your route and distance via polarpersonaltrainer.com

The new Polar RC3 GPS listens to your body and tracks your ur speed, speed, distance distance and route rou ute in one compact package. Integrated GPS combined with unique nique Polar Polar Smart Smar t Coaching Co a c h i n g features analyze every run to guide your training to the next level. ex t lev el.

Discover Disc o v er P Polar olar RC3 R C3 GPS with Smar t Coaching C oaching at at p polar.fi ol ar.fi

15 Issue 107 > December 2012

tenniseuropenews

Tennis Europe Junior Tour Results

12 & Under Date

Tournament

Winner

Runner-Up

Score

Doubles Winner

Dec 10

Coimbra (POR)

E Lumsden (GBR)

C Sanchez Jover (ESP)

64 64

Rodrigues/Soares (POR)

D Said (EGY)

C Molina Megias (ESP)

64 62

Molina Megias (ESP)/Said (EGY)

Doubles Winner

14 & Under Date

Tournament

Category / Winner

Runner-Up

Score

Nov 19

Stavenger (NOR)

3 L Daels (BEL)

M Sokolovskiy (RUS)

63 67(5) 75Bergs/Daels (BEL)

P Golubovskaya (RUS)

75 75

Golubovskaya/Kislyak (RUS)

A Oljons (SWE)

61 61

Malbasic/Oljons (SWE)

M Bjorklund (SWE)

61 36 61

Gavrila (ROU)/Grib (BLR)

M Haliak (BLR)

60 06 62

Bolardt/Vrbensky (CZE)

w/o

Slovakova/Vondrousova (CZE)

M Sokolovskiy (RUS)

w/o

Ruusuvuori/Sarpola (FIN)

P Bakhmutkina (RUS)

62 62

Bakhmutina/Denisenko (RUS)

L Hammond (GBR)

75 62

Stewart/West (GBR)

E Lazic (GBR)

63 63

Burrage/Griffiths (GBR)

Runner-Up

Score

Doubles Winner

D Faa Hviding (NOR) Nov 26

Gothenburg (SWE)

3 F Malbasic (SWE) I Jarlskog (SWE)

Dec 3

Milovice (CZE)

3 J Rodionov (BLR)

M Vondrousova (CZE) A Slovakova (CZE) Dec 3

Nastola (FIN)

3 P Klimov (RUS)

Dec 10

Wrexham (GBR)

3 E Moore (GBR)

V Yushchenko (RUS)

J Burrage (GBR)

16 & Under Date

Tournament

Category / Winner

Nov 19

Dmitrov (RUS)

3 Y Prostakov (RUS)

Dec 3

Marsa (MLT)

16 Issue 107 > December 2012

A Guskov (RUS)

64 64

Kotov/Prostakov (RUS)

E Levashova (RUS)

V Zeleva (RUS)

63 64

Bekker/Pogrebnyak (RUS)

3 S Ramazzotti (ITA)

A Aravis (CYP)

63 61

Not played

E Levashova (RUS)

B Bento (POR)

61 61

Not played

tenniseuropenews

ITF Pro Circuits (Europe) Results

ITF Men’s Circuit Week

Venue

Cat.

Winner

Runner-Up

Score

Doubles

Nov 19

Antalya (TUR)

$10,000

A Setkic (BIH)

A de Greef (BEL)

62 1-0 ret Olaso/Samper Montana (ESP)

Nov 26

Antalya (TUR)

$10,000

M Lammer (SUI)

G Olaso (ESP)

61 16 75

Semjan/Simon (SVK)

Dec 3

Antalya (TUR)

$10,000

N Basilashvili (GEO)

V Uzhylovsky (UKR)

36 62 62

Brkic (BIH)/Marcan (CRO)

Dec 10

Antalya (TUR)

$10,000

N Basilashvili (GEO)

G Olaso (ESP)

62 62

Ciumac (MDA)/Uzhylovsky (UKR)

ITF Women’s Circuit Week

Venue

Cat.

Winner

Runner-Up

Score

Doubles

Nov 19

Antalya (TUR)

$10,000

J Jaksic (SRB)

L Andrei (ROU)

62 60

Cadar (ROU)/Kostic (SRB)

Nov 19

Vallduxo (ESP)

$10,000

S Sorribes Tormo (ESP)

O Saez Larra (ESP)

61 61

Sizikova (RUS)/Windley (GBR)

Nov 19

Vendryne (CZE)

$15,000

S Zahlavova (CZE)

R Voracova (CZE)

76(1) 60

Maleckova/Vankova (CZE)

Nov 26

Antalya (TUR)

$10,000

M Benoit (BEL)

L Andrei (ROU)

63 62

Pashkova (RUS)/Vasylyeva (UKR)

Dec 3

Antalya (TUR)

$10,000

D Allertova (CZE)

N Kostic (SRB)

57 75 61

Kalabina (RUS)/Pirazhenka (BLR)

Dec 10

Antalya (TUR)

$10,000

V Kan (RUS)

A Vasylyeva (UKR)

63 75

De Sutter (BEL)/Stewart (USA)

Updated seven days a week, all the latest draws, results, schedules, tournament fact sheets and entry lists from ITF Men’s & Women’s Circuit events in Europe can be found on the European Tennis Calendar.

17

Issue 107 > December 2012

tenniseuropenews

European Tennis Rankings - Men & Women European Men

European Women Rank (WTA)

Name

Nat.

Points

Rank (ATP)

Name

Nat.

Points

1 (1)

u

Victoria AZARENKA

BLR 10595

1 (1)

u Novak DJOKOVIC

SRB 12920

2 (2)

u

Maria SHARAPOVA

RUS 10045

2 (2)

u Roger FEDERER

SUI 10265

3 (4)

u

Agnieszka RADWANKSA POL 7425

3 (3)

u Andy MURRAY

GBR 8000

4 (5)

u

Angelique KERBER

GER 5550

4 (4)

u Rafael NADAL

ESP

6795

5 (6)

u

Sara ERRANI

ITA

5100

5 (5)

u David FERRER

ESP

6505

6 (8)

u

Petra KVITOVA

CZE 5085

6 (6)

u Tomas BERDYCH

CZE

4680

7 (10)

u

Caroline WOZNIACKI

DEN 3765

7 (8)

u Jo-Wilfried TSONGA

FRA

3490

8 (11)

u

Marion BARTOLI

FRA 3740

8 (9)

u Janko TIPSAREVIC

SRB

2990

9 (12)

u

Nadia PETROVA

RUS 3040

9 (10)

u Richard GASQUET

FRA

2515

Ana IVANOVIC

SRB 2900

10 (11)

u Nicolas ALMAGRO

ESP

2515

Maria KIRILENKO

RUS 2540

11 (15)

u Marin CILIC

CRO 2210

12 (15) u

Dominka CIBULKOVA

SVK 2495

12 (16)

u Gilles SIMON

FRA

2165

13 (16) u

Roberta VINCI

ITA

2475

13 (17)

u Stanislas WAWRINKA

SUI

1900

14 (17) u

Lucie SAFAROVA

CZE 2125

14 (18)

u Alexandr DOLGOPOLOV UKR

1855

15 (18) u

Julia GOERGES

GER 1965

15 (20) u Philipp KOHLSCREIBER GER

1770

16 (19) u

Kaia KANEPI

EST 1905

16 (21)

u Tommy HAAS

GER

1695

17 (20) u

Ekaterina MAKAROVA

RUS 1841

17 (23)

u Andreas SEPPI

ITA

1560

18 (22) u

Jelena JANKOVIC

SRB 1751

18 (24) u Fernando VERDASCO

ESP

1490

19 (23) u

Yanina WICKMAYER

BEL 1680

19 (25) u Mikhail YOUZHNY

RUS

1335

20 (27) u

Sorana CIRSTEA

ROU 1565

20(26)

POL

1299

10 (13) u 11 (14)

u

Jerzy Janowicz (POL)

18 Issue 107 > December 2012

Roberta Vinci (ITA)

u Jerzy JANOWICZ

Andy Murray (GBR)

tenniseuropenews

Notes and news from Tennis Europe The staff of Tennis Europe wish our readers a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

The Tennis Europe offices in Basel will be closed for the holiday season from Saturday 22nd December and will reopen on Wednesday 2nd January.

2013 Tennis Europe Annual General Meeting National associations are reminded that entry forms and hotel reservations for the 2013 Annual General Meeting must be sent by Monday 22nd January. The Meeting will take place in Tallinn, Estonia, from 21st-24th March.

Please direct any queries to Nadja Koran: nadjak@tenniseurope.org.

Contact Us TENNIS EUROPE Zur Gempenfluh 36 CH-4059, Basel Switzerland

Tel: +41 61 335 9040 Fax: +41 61 331 7253 Email: contactus@tenniseurope.org Web: www.TennisEurope.org

www.facebook.com/pages/Tennis-Europe/40211773432 www.twitter.com/tenniseurope Tennis Europe News is edited by Jonathan Jobson - jonathanj@tenniseurope.org.

To subscribe , send an email to contactus@tenniseurope.org, with “Subscribe� as the email title, or click here.

Our Partners

19 Issue 107 > December 2012

tenniseuropenews

HEADlines

Secret Testing with Novak Djokovic The world’s top-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic has completed his secret testing to try out the next generation of his racquet – with some really spectacular results.

Guarded by security staff and fully draped with black clothes Djokovic arrives at the court with a black suitcase, which is handcuffed to his wrist and labelled with a mysterious ‘G’ logo.

Watch now.

Final celebration of 25 Years of Prestige Our celebration of 25 years of Absolute Precision is almost over.

But, we still have one more special gift for you: Take the chance to win a Prestige Limited Edition package including a special Prestige bag filled with 2 Limited Edition YouTek™ Prestige MP racquets.

Win now: https://apps.facebook.com/hprestige/win.php

Successful year for HEAD racquets HEAD Racquet Rebels Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray have helped pace HEAD racquets to the top of an unofficial ATP list for success during the just-concluded 2012 season.

According to numbers crunched by The Tennis Space, the Australian Open title of world No. 1 Djokovic, the breakthrough win by Murray at the US Open plus the French Open trophy from Maria Sharapova gave the marque a solid hattrick of success at the majors.

Read more: http://www.head.com/tennis/news/?region=eu

20 Issue 107 > December 2012

tenniseuropenews

LA MANGA CLUB - CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE OFFICIAL PARTNER OF EUROPEAN TENNIS FEDERATION

Why do tennis professionals love La Manga Club?

Perhaps it’s the outstanding tennis facilities (20 clay,4 artificial grass and 4 new GreenSet courts); perhaps it’s our first rate pro academy; or maybe it’s the lively social scene or the great weather. Most probably it’s a bit of everything. ““A warm and professional welcome, ideal facilities for high level training, nice weather in the middle of winter; just what is needed to get our players into the best condition for each season.” Réginald Willems, Belgium Davis Cup Captain

For more info and 2013 training block offers call +34 968 33 1234 email sales@lamangaclub.com visit lamangaclub.com

21 Issue 107 > December 2012